Starc to be at peak fitness to face Windies, Proteas

Test opener Joe Burns has said Mitchell Starc has fully recovered from injury and will be in peak fitness for next month's tri-nations series against the West Indies and South Africa in the Caribean.

Fast bowler Starc has been sidelined ever since he suffered a stress fraction of his foot last November, and was forced to undergo surgery, reports CMC.

He recently resumed training and Burns said he looked close to top form while bowling off a full run-up at the National Cricket Centre here.

"He's bowling very fast, very accurately and swinging it. I think he's bowling close to his best," Burns said on Friday.

"There were some very scary days facing him but it's just great to see him back on the park and bowling express speeds. He's got that ability with the new ball to almost skid it off the lower wickets as well, so he's still as challenging in those conditions as he is on the Australian wickets I reckon."

The 26-year-old left-arm seamer was last month named in the Australia squad for the tri-nations series which runs from June 3-26 in Guyana, St. Kitts and Nevis and Barbados.

He will spearhead a seam attack which includes Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Coulter-Nile and John Hastings.

Starc, who was outstanding during last year's World Cup as Australia were crowned champions, has so far taken 90 wickets from 46 One-Day Internationals.

If he takes 10 wickets in the next six outings, he will become the fastest bowler to reach triple figures in ODIs.

--IANS

sam/vm